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rectorial

 - 3 dictionary results

rec⋅tor

  [rek-ter]
Use rectorial in a Sentence
–noun
1. a member of the clergy in charge of a parish in the Protestant Episcopal Church.
2. Roman Catholic Church. an ecclesiastic in charge of a college, religious house, or congregation.
3. Anglican Church. a member of the clergy who has the charge of a parish with full possession of all its rights, tithes, etc.
4. the head of certain universities, colleges, and schools.
Origin:
1350–1400; ME rectour < L rēctor helmsman, ruler, leader, equiv. to reg(ere) to rule + -tor -tor

Related forms:
rec⋅to⋅ri⋅al  [rek-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr-] , adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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rec·tor   (rěk'tər)   
n.   Abbr. R.

  1. A cleric in charge of a parish in the Protestant Episcopal Church.

  2. An Anglican cleric who has charge of a parish and owns the tithes from it.

  3. A Roman Catholic priest appointed to be managerial as well as spiritual head of a church or other institution, such as a seminary or university.

  4. The principal of certain schools, colleges, and universities.


[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin rēctor, director, from , rēctus past participle of regere, to rule; see reg- in Indo-European roots.]
rec'tor·ate (-ĭt) n., rec·to'ri·al (rěk-tôr'ē-əl, -tōr'-) adj.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

rector 
1387, from L. rector "ruler, governor, guide," from rect-, pp. stem of regere "to rule, guide" (see regal). Used originally of Roman governors and God, by 18c. generally restricted to clergymen and college heads. Rectory first recorded 1448 as "the benefice held by a rector;" of his residence, first recorded 1849.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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